Have iPod will travel

People put iPods before passports in Home Office survey

by
Nick Spence
, | 25 Aug 06

People value their iPods above their passports, the Home Office has warned .

An online poll by FDS for the Home Office's Identity and Passport Service of 1,064 adult passport holders found more people locking away iPods and mobile phones than potentially more valuable passports.

While 22 per cent of those surveyed locked their passports away 28 per cent locked iPods and other valuables up with 44 per cent saying they were kept securely, often hidden away.

The Home Office is concerned that the results show people value consumable gadgets above their passports, which are potentially of much greater value to thieves who might use them for terrorism, illegal migration or money laundering.

Bernard Herdan, executive director of the Identity and Passport Service said: "Your passport is a key identity document and must be looked after. Identity fraud is one of Britain's fastest growing crimes, enabling other crimes such as illegal immigration, money laundering, people trafficking and terrorism."